Andrew Abbott's Blog

Friday, 3 February 2012

Go Patriots!!

Years ago, when it was first shown on British TV I got a taste for American Football. I’d avidly watch the highlights show and would take the day after superbowl off as it ended very late. Live, the game is very long and drawn out being virtually formulated for the TV advertising market. The superbowl is a very big, if not the biggest TV event of the year in America.

Naturally, being a sports fan I wanted a team to follow. I stumbled upon a quirky team called the New England Patriots. They had an old fashioned stadium and they played on grass, which is unusual in the NFL. They played in Boston, Mass and they were absolutely useless. We were made for each other.

I followed the Pats for years and years as they failed sometimes heroically sometimes they just failed. One of the things that struck me was however rubbish a team might be the stadium was always full. Oh and they always played, whatever the weather.

Unusually for the USA where it’s normally survival of the fittest, there’s a sort of handicap system in place called the draft. The worst teams get first pick of the year’s crop of college players, they don’t have to accept the club but it does ensure that there’s some mechanism whereby underperforming teams can drag themselves up, it keeps all of the teams on a relatively even playing field.

My interest in grid-iron football has waned and I no longer stay up for superbowl. My team have however, shorn of the shackle of having me as a fan, prospered and, once again made it to Americas biggest day. I wish them all the best, which should have the effect of ensuring that the New York Giants are crowned champions. I do hope not.

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About Me

I began writing with Give Me Football, the official website of the Professional Footballers Association. I have also written for Lincoln City Mad and Lincoln Vitals. I also collaborated on Deranged Ferret, a Lincoln City fanzine. I ride my bike, grow vegetables and bake bread.Occasionally I'm on BBC Radio Lincolnshire Sports Special.
Follow me on twitter @andrewhykeham